Dear Colleagues

Consistent with our SEAC programme and tradition, we organize the next SEAC 2013 conference in Athens and as we have already announced.

The theme is “Astronomy, mother of Civilization and Guide to the Future”. We have selected this theme because Indeed astronomy has offered a lot to humanity and the very civilization probably started in the framework of astronomy.

Since the dawn of humanity Astronomy is the cardinal socio-anthropological activity that led to the development of Culture, Mathematics, Philosophy and Civilization. With regards to the character of this Conference, we focus on astronomy as the beginning of civilization and culture.

Human, ANTHROPOS [ΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΣ] in Greek according to a popular etymology means the one that looks up, sees the sky, and admires the harmony of the celestial sphere with the stars and the planets and develops the will to try to understand and explain the Cosmos [ΚΟΣΜΟΣ means ornament in Greek]. In their effort to understand the Cosmos humans develop logic, causality, and civilization. Philosophy is born.

Astronomy, as a set of practices, of methods and observations and theoretical reasoning, has always been a crucial activity of every human society and the human mind, already from the dawn of the civilization. Astronomy has served as a vehicle for the survival of the very early and fragile societies of the Paleolithic era, and was at the same time an answer to the agonizing quest of the human beings, while seeking for an answer about their identity and position within Nature and Cosmos.

Astronomy, as a practice, was always interconnected with other realms of social discourse, such as mythology, religion, philosophy, and with the emerging Cosmo-systems, and introduced a strong connection between the celestial phenomena and human activities. Observing and studying these harmonious of the celestial bodies, civilizations learned to stay in tune with the cycle of the seasons and the various variations of the behavior of their landscapes, thus providing means for their long – standing survival on their fight against the natural forces and the taming of Nature itself that eventually led to the development of science and philosophy.

Astronomy, as an exact science, is born within the movement of the Ionian Renaissance, from the great Pre-socratic spirits, and is always interconnected with the birth of philosophy, as well, from the very same masters of the human thought. Its first acme, after its birth and as an advanced scientific discipline, appears in the Hellenistic Era. As an autopoetic structure, in its complete form, grounded and established by giants, such as Archimedes, Hipparchus, Posidonius, Claudius Ptolemy appears and flourishes in all the forthcoming great civilizations and empires, unchanged in its aims and internal structure, that is as a specific way of observing nature, unraveling the secrets of Cosmos, and placing humans within it.

The evolution of astronomy leads to the great scientific revolution and the modern world, through Galileo, Copernicus, Kepler and Newton, to mention only a few of the giants that set the foundations of the modern world.

In our days, Astronomy strongly refers to the global heritage of all the human civilizations, as a bond and a point of reference between them, while it opens new roads for our globalized society, towards the space exploration, and the gigantic leap of mankind towards leaving its place of birth, our planet Earth, and expanding to new frontiers. Astronomy, as a science, and as the fountain of various technological achievements inspired by the needs of space exploration, opens novel roads towards our common fate, while it always remind us the common bond which exists between cultures and civilizations.

SEAC 2013

The Conference will be held according to our standard practice. The official languages of the Conference will be English, while we will probably have some sessions in Greek, especially for the general public.

This is the canvas SEAC-2013 will be interwoven, in the very nice environment of central Athens, at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (central building), near Acropolis, the National Archaeological Museum and the Numismatic Museum (H. Schliemann’s house), and not very far from two ancient observatories, the 5th century BC observatory of Meton at Pnyx and the 2nd-1st century BC observatory and astronomical clock of Andronikos of Kyrrhos (the so called Aerides – tower of winds at Aeolos street). The Academy of Plato and the Lyceum of Aristotle, the University of Proclus (just opposite Dionysus theatre), Keramikos, Hadrian Library (and University and research center) and other libraries, the Agora are relatively close and worth visiting.

SEAC 2013 Athens preliminary compact Programme

Monday
31 Aug / Sunday
1stSep / Monday
2ndSep / Tuesday
3rdSep / Wednesday
4thSep / Thursday
5thSep / Friday
6thSe / Saturday
7thSep / Sunday
8thSep
Excursion? / Excursion? / Central hall of University / Excursion and possible session at Nemea, Mycenae / Excursion? / Excursion?
Two parallel / Two parallel / Two parallel / Two parallel / sessions / sessions
Sessions / sessions / sessions / sessions / sessions / sessions
Welcome
Drink
Perhaps at the Numismatic Museum*
H.Schliemann’s House / Visit of ancient astronomical sites in Athens

Venue

SEAC 2013 will take place at the central building of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, in central Athens, at Eleftheriou Venizelou street (usually called odos Panepistimiou [University street]), number 30.

Scientific Organizing Committee

Juan Belmonte Aviles (Spain)

Mary Blomberg (Sweden)

Peter Blomberg (Sweden)

Nick Campion (UK)

A. César González-García (Spain)

Goran Henriksson (Sweden)

Jarita Holbrook (USA)

Stanislaw Iwaniszewski (Poland)

George Kakavas (Greece)

Ioannis Liritzis (Greece)

Giulio Magli (Italy)

Kim Malville (USA)

Xenophon Moussas (Greece)

David Pankenier (USA)

Maro Papathanasiou (Greece)

Emilia Pasztor (Hungary)

Fernando Pimenta (Portugal)

Francesco Polcaro (Italy)

Frank Prendergast (Ireland)

Michael Rappenglück (Germany)

Steven Renshaw (Japan)

Clive Ruggles (UK)

Mosalam Shaltout (Egypt)

Lionel Sims (UK)

Ivan Šprajc (Slovenia)

Stratos Theodosiou (Greece)

Panagiota Preka Papadema (Greece)

Flora Vafea (Egypt, Greece)

Frank Ventura (Matla)

Local Organizing Committee

Xenophon Moussas

Panagiota Preka Papadema

George Kakavas

Eleftheria Mitsakou

Stavros Dimitrakoudis

Ioannis Liritzis

Maro Papathanasiou

Panagiotis Papaspyrou

Excursions

We intend to have cultural excursions in several places around Greece and Athens. Excursions possibly starting Saturday 31st August 2013, and ending Sunday 8th September 2013. During SEAC 2013 we will organize a tour to Nemea and if possible a special session at this unique place and perhaps include Corinth, Mycenae and Naphlion.

Visits in Athens

During SEAC 2013 we will organize Visits to the National Archaeological Museum, the Numismatic Museum, the new Acropolis Museum, possibly with sessions in these Museums.

Registration

The registration fee is € 320 (late registration in Athens € 400) for a regular participant and € 150 for each accompanying person. The regular registration fee covers attendance at the conference, the welcome reception, five lunches (the one day excursion on Wednesday to Nemea, Mycenae), 8 coffee-breaks, the conference dinner, the abstract book, the volume of conference proceedings, and the one day excursion on Wednesday to Nemea, Mycenae and Naphlion.

The accompanying person fee covers the welcome reception, the conference dinner and the

one day excursion on Wednesday to Nemea, Mycenae and possibly Naphlion.

The registration deadline is July 20, 2013. To register, download and fill in the registration form and send it to: and . The information on money transfer is in the registration form. Please consider submitting your abstract before registration, in order to avoid cancellation (in case of rejection).

Cancellation policy

If you cancel your registration before August 1, 2013, the fee will be refunded, after deductions due to money transfers and administrative costs. There will be no refunding for cancellations after August 1, 2013.

Student travel grant for SEAC conference 2013

The executive committee of SEAC is pleased to announce a travel grant to enable a student to present the results of her/his research at the SEAC conference to be held at Athens, Greece, 2-6 September 2013.

Eligibility: the applicant either must be a postgraduate student working on a Masters or PhD degree with a subject on some aspect of astronomy in culture or must have completed such a degree no earlier than 2010.

The applicant may be no older than 35.

The grant may be shared by two or more authors of the same paper.

Amount: 450 euros, which will be presented upon registration at the conference.

Application requirements: 1) An extended abstract with bibliography of the paper to be presented (i.e. 1500 words not including the bibliography).

A curriculum vitae.

A reference from the applicant’s advisor.

Applications should be sent by 1 July 2013 to Dr. Mary Blomberg, Norrtullsgatan 31,

SE-113 27 Stockholm, Sweden. E-mail: .

PLEASE send any requests and YOUR FILE(S) TO XENOPHON MOUSSAS

,

Information:

Xenophon Moussas

Professor of Space Physics

Director of the Observatory of the University of Athens

Director of Astrophysics Laboratory

Faculty of Physics

National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

Panepistimiopolis, GR 15783 Zographos, Athens, Greece

Tel office +30 2107276853, mobile +30 6978792891

Home + 30 2108828967

e-mail: , ,

http://seac2013.phys.uoa.gr

http://www.space.phys.uoa.gr

http://www.cc.uoa.gr/~artemis/

http://www.antikythera-mechanism.gr

cv: http://www.antikythera-mechanism.gr/project/team/academic/xenophon-moussas

Hotels in Athens

There are many excellent hotels at walking distance to the central University Building, several luxurious and many inexpensive. We will prepare list of appropriate hotels soon.

The following hotels provide special prices for SEAC 2013. Please contact directly the hotel, via their email, and mention that you participate in SEAC2013.

hotel Acropolis Ami Boutique Hotel

double(euros) 80(70 if prepaid)

single(euros) 70(60 if prepaid)

email for reservations

site from booking.com http://www.booking.com/hotel/gr/acropolis-ami-boutique.el.html?sid=64d580ac6985d417509b11039f2f28d4;dcid=1

hotel site http://www.acropolisamihotel.com/el/

hotel Acropolis Ami Boutique Hotel

double(euros) 80(70 if prepaid)

single(euros) 70(60 if prepaid)

email for reservations

site from booking.com www.booking.com/hotel/gr/acropolis-ami-boutique.el.html

hotel site www.acropolisamihotel.com/el/

hotel Acropolis Select Hotel

double(euros) 78

single(euros) 64

email for reservations

site from booking.com www.booking.com/hotel/gr/acropolis-select.el.html

hotel site acropoliselect.gr

hotel Alexandros Hotel

double(euros) 82

single(euros) 73

email for reservations

site from booking.com www.booking.com/hotel/gr/alexandros.el.html

hotel site www.airotel.gr/greek/hotel/alexandros

hotel Amalia Hotel

double(euros) 115-145

single(euros) 105-135

email for reservations

site from booking.com www.booking.com/hotel/gr/amalia.el.html

hotel site www.amaliahotelathens.gr/gr

hotel Athens Cypria Hotel

double(euros) 74

single(euros) 60

email for reservations

site from booking.com www.booking.com/hotel/gr/athens-cypria.el.html

hotel site www.athenscypria.com

hotel ATHOS HOTEL

double(euros) 75(minimum stay 3 nights)

single(euros) 65 (minimum stay 3 nights)

email for reservations

site from booking.com www.booking.com/hotel/gr/ateos.el.html

hotel site www.athoshotel.gr/greek/index.php

hotel Crown Plaza

double(euros) 90

single(euros) 90

email for reservations

site from booking.com www.booking.com/hotel/gr/holidayinnathens_ilissia.el.html

hotel site www.crowne-plaza-athens.com/greek/

hotel Divani Palace Acropolis

double(euros) 100

single(euros) 90

email for reservations

site from booking.com www.booking.com/hotel/gr/divanipalaceacropolis.el.html

hotel site www.divanis.com/acropolis/default-el.html

hotel Electra

double(euros) 95

single(euros) 80

email for reservations

site from booking.com www.booking.com/hotel/gr/electrahotelathens.el.html

hotel site www.electrahotels.gr/el/electra-hotel-athens/the-hotel

hotel Electra Palace

double(euros) 145

single(euros) 135

email for reservations

site from booking.com www.booking.com/hotel/gr/electrapalacehotelathens.el.html

hotel site www.electrahotels.gr/el/electra-palace-hotel-athens/the-hotel

hotel Hilton

double(euros) 139

single(euros) 139

email for reservations

site from booking.com www.booking.com/hotel/gr/hilton-athens.el.html

hotel site www.hiltonathens.gr/en/home.html

hotel Hotel Central

double(euros) 90-110

single(euros) 75-90

email for reservations

site from booking.com www.booking.com/hotel/gr/central-athens.el.html

hotel site www.centralhotel.gr

hotel Hotel Herodion

double(euros) 90

single(euros) 90

email for reservations

site from booking.com www.booking.com/hotel/gr/herodion.el.html

hotel site www.herodion.gr/main.php

hotel Hotel Museum

double(euros) 50

single(euros) 40

email for reservations

site from booking.com www.booking.com/hotel/gr/bestwesternhotelmuseumatthens.el.html

hotel site www.museum-hotel.gr/gr/

hotel Pan Hotel

double(euros) 75

single(euros) 65

email for reservations

site from booking.com www.booking.com/hotel/gr/pan.el.html

hotel site www.panhotel.gr/greek/contact.php

hotel Philippos Hotel

double(euros) 75

single(euros) 75

email for reservations

site from booking.com www.booking.com/hotel/gr/philippos.el.html

hotel site www.philipposhotel.gr/main.php

hotel St. George Lycabettus Boutique Hotel

double(euros) 120

single(euros) 110

email for reservations

site from booking.com www.booking.com/hotel/gr/st-george-lycabettus.html

hotel site www.sglycabettus.gr/default-en.html

hotel Stratos Vassilikos Hotel

double(euros) 92

single(euros) 83

email for reservations

site from booking.com www.booking.com/hotel/gr/airotel-stratos-vassilikos.el.html

hotel site www.airotel.gr/greek/hotel/stratos_vasilikos

hotel The Athenian Callirhoe Exclusive Hotel

double(euros) 115

single(euros) 110

email for reservations

site from booking.com www.booking.com/hotel/gr/atheniancallirhoe.el.html

hotel site www.tac.gr

hotel Titania

double(euros) 70

single(euros) 60

email for reservations

site from booking.com www.booking.com/hotel/gr/titania.el.html

hotel site www.titania.gr